Improvement in farm-gates



Farm-Gate. No. 164,605.

Patented Jun15, 1875.

WITNEssEs uy'ro @Enron TUNIS SNIDER, OF FORT VORTH, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FARM-GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,605, dated June l5, 1875; application tiled September 12, 1674.

- annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon. A

Figure l of the drawing is a representation ot' a perspective view of my farm-gate. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Figs. 4- and 5 are detail views of the same.

This invention has relation to gates which are especiallyT designed for use on farms; and the nature of the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the various devices used, as will be hereinafter more fully explained and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, A designates an upright of my improved gate, and B is another, arranged at a suitable distance apart, the two posts not being in the same vertical plane. C is a third post, arranged at a point near the post B, between it and the post A, and slightly in rear of both. D is a gate, constructed in the usual well-known manner, which is suspended by means of a chain, E, to the post C, and which is of suitable length to reach from the post A to a point slightly beyond the post C. The upper rail d of this gate is constructed to project slightly beyond the other rails to form a latch, d', which engages, when the gate is closed and so held, in a notch, a, cut in the plane of the length of the gate upon the upper end of the post A. There is also an extended portion, F, at the other `end of the gate, upon which is rigidly secured a weight, G, of lead, iron, or of any other heavy substance. This weight should be of sufficient heaviness to balance, or nearly balance, the weight of that portion of the gate between its end and the point where the chain E is attached to the rail d of the gate. H designates a shoe, which is secured to the soil at a point just inside of the post A, in a plane vertical to that of the gate, and which is provided with a transverse notch, It, for a purpose hereinafter to be explained.

An examination of Figs?) will show at a glance that the post A is at one end of the gate D, and that the posts B C are one on each side thereof, havingthe gate between them; hence, if the lower rail of the gate be engaged in the notch h, and consequently the latch cl of rail d be engaged in the notch a of post A, the gate will be firmly held in position for closing an opening in an inclosure. When it becomes necessary to open the gate a slight pressure downward upon the extended portion F thereof will cause a disengagement of the upper and lower rails of the gate from the notch a and shoe H, respectively, owing to the balanced condition of its latch end, when a slight effort will cause the gate to be' swung open.

During the process of opening, the swinging` of the gate will cause the chain E, which is secured to the rea-r part of the post G, to be wound around the said post 5 hence, when it becomes necessary to close the gate, no effort on the part of the attendant is required to effect the closing thereof, as the unwinding of the chain caused by the weight of the gate will cause it to swing to. If the weight end be now slightly borne down upon, the upper and lower rails will become engaged with the notches a and h of the post A and shoe H, respectively, and will be again securely fastened.

It will be seen from the above description that I have invented a gate wherein I dispense withthe use of hinges and other similar devices and prevent sagging; also, that the operation of opening or shutting the gate, owing to its balanced and suspended condition, is attended with little or no exertion on the part of the operator, a very small child being capable of both opening and shutting it.

WhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the suspending-post and the counterweighted gate, ot' the chain E, suspending said gate from said post, and having sufficient length to twine around the post as the gate is opened, and untwining to close the latter automatically, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I havev hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

TUNIS SNIDER; Witnesses:

J. D. CHAMBERS, G. W. BREEDING. 

